What was the reason he left?

Genuine question, not trying to open up old fights etc

He left after the now infamous "popgate" incident, when himself or maybe a youngster he was with was forced to let a steward take a look at a coke bottle in his bag.

Not just a look though was it? They refused to let him in the ground unless he handed his bottle of Coke over to them.

and then MC wouldn't apologise for it.

It looks like a small thing from the outside but when it's you it means a lot. Especially when you feel you have already given so much, as he did.

It's a shame

I miss Alf from the Casforum. Always had good words to say about our mighty club.

He only seemed to surface when we were in deep shat.

They threw him out for entering the ground with it. And subsequently when the issue was raised with the club, CB refused to apologise and put the blame on Al to his face. Anyway, his family wishes he would come back too but he is too proud unfortunately.

Come on Al,
You love the club, you love watching Rugby League, you've got friends at the games who want you there with them, you've got people who respect your opinion on this forum, you've watched Trinity when we were up the creek so come and watch now when we're looking competitive.

Your points been made, it's time to come back
Life's too short!

Simple really, you get him in a headlock let snowie grab one leg and BLM the other and carry him there, and if your struggling don't ring me

We need a plan - plan A a kitchen chair and some rope and a few of us surprise attack grab him sit him on chair and I will rope him down fasten two long poles to each side of said chair and carry him down to BV match day.
Plan B nag nag nag him worse than a frenzied mother in law so he relents and comes down of his own accord to get away from the constant nagging.

Come on All you know you want to be at BV when its rocking.

I might be a minority on here but I see this overblown incident differently.

The other year I had my picture all over the net and in the Wakefield Express accused of trouble at the Widnes game. The later video evidence from Sky cleared me on all accounts. All too late I had been smeared and humiliated, all because of the decision of an employee at the club to handle it this way. I was fuming with the way I had been treated. It didn't stop me going again.

Wakefield Trinity has been here over an hundred years and will still be here in another hundred. Over that time we've had and will have numerous owners. Difference of opinions will always exist with procedures and policies with fans either individually of collectively. To abandon a life long passion and loyalty over a disagreement about procedures is childish and pathetic. I don't know the guy but he come accross as an individual with a big Ego that needs to be massaged.

That last bit couldn't be further from the truth, but you weren't to know that so you're forgiven!

Bit harsh at the end but get the point - but I suppose we are all different.

On reflection maybe the last bit is a bit harsh as I don't know him personally. Principled to point of been irrational, maybe that’s a better way of putting it.

For a proud man like him Its one thing swallowing your pride totally different forsaking your principles.

More accurate assessment than your previous one that's for sure

I can totally sympathise with his point of view, but to stop attending because of something so minor is mind boggling. I reckon he must have been waiting for an excuse to get off the wagon tbh.

The club handled the whole thing badly. The steward was over zealous but was probably doing what he was told. MC should apologise to big Al. This is not Man United. The club cannot afford to treat loyal supporters like hooligans. This is a family game. If you buy a ticket why can't you bring get a whole picnic if you feel like it.? How much revenue and good will have the club lost for the sake of a few pence profit on a bottles of non alcoholic drink.

I think because people know half a story its very easy to judge. Al was invited down to the club after said incident to meet with CB. Why invite someone for a meeting and then blame them. Al felt like this was personal. What made this worse was then the lapse in rules at the ground after the incident, which is an admission by the club that they had got it wrong with regards of the rules to enter the ground. The same rules that they just made up one Sunday afternoon without prior notice and then gave a press release the week after which misinformed people of the rules. This was the week of the the incident. There are now a number of family members and long time ST holders who haven't renewed because of this, not because the don't support the club but because they support each other more. When I attempted to contact MC in numerous ways to sort this I was completely ignored. But then again I wasn't blowing smoke up his backside so why would he talk to me?

Anyway this has all been said before. If someone can find a way to speak to Al about this then please do, be nice to see all the family together every other Sunday.

Cheers for the answers.

We should not judge, everyone has their own right to attend/not attend based on anything they want or feel.

how petty! the man thinks he is bigger than the club?? go to other grounds and you can't take take bottles in to the ground! all to save about 75p!

Other grounds tell you that before you get there. And there stewards are at least professional and not selective on who they let in with what and who they don't let in. Such as Al's wife entering through the same turnstile in front of him with exactly the same thing. You obviously have never met him and you couldn't be further from the truth. He (along with others) has given that club and some of its players, so much time, effort and money over the years that he deserves to be treat better than dirt which is what CB made him feel.

Tune in next week for the next exciting episode in BOTTLEGATE.
Yawnnnnnnn. Man-up and move on.

I hope if you ever feel betrayed by the club in the act of supporting them they don't treat you the same. If they can't support the old proud hardcore fans and treat them with mutual respect they deserve there's something wrong. After all there's only a small number of hardcore fans left and that number is shrinking.

He made a big point when he left saying he didn't want threads like these.
It's his decision. Leave it alone.

The personal comments are worthy of warnings.

I'll lock this to save you the hassle but I've no problem warning and banning for personal comments no matter how tame or how much you think it's banter.
Read the AUP or just get back to discussing rugby.